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Black Knight
'Black Knights' Black knights generally follow no specific leader or code of conduct, though some may be in service to an older knight who tries to carry on the legacy and the training. Black knights are so named in part because of the black paint used to protect their armor from rusting, but also because of the abilities they display, drawing forth energy from the negative plane to shield themselves and punish their foes. Long ago, black knights were viewed as honorable protectors of the weak, but such stories are now mere fairy tales. Campaign Specific: When the Order of the Dark fell apart, many who were pledged to the order became ronin and traveling warriors. Many turned to mercenary work or hung up their swords to find a new path. Without guidance, the knights spread out across the land and found places to settle down. In some lands, black knights fought against one another over the right to protect an area. In others, villagers banded together to chase them out. A few civilizations simply came to accept the knights as a necessary evil, housing them and relying on them to fend off invaders. Those knights who were not paid for their services burned down farms and stole what they needed. As such, many are wary of the knights and their motives. The Black Knight Quick Build You can make a black knight quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength your highest ability score, followed by Constitution, or Intelligence if you plan to follow the Witch path. Second, choose the variant Noble: Knight background. 'Class Features' As a black knight, you gain the following class features. Hit Points: Hit Dice: 1d12 per black knight level Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution modifier per black knight level after 1st Proficiencies: Armor: All armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Stealth, and Survival Equipment: You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background. * (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons * (a) five javelins or (b) two handaxes * (a) scale mail or (b) chain mail * (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack Black Aura At 1st level, you've learned how to control the innate dark energy inside your soul, and can manifest it to protect your body and mind. On your turn, you can call forth your black aura as a bonus action. While surrounded by your black aura you gain the following benefits: *You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your black knight level. These temporary hit points refresh at the start of each of your turns. *You have resistance to poison, psychic, and necrotic damage. *The power of your aura extends out to 10 feet. While your aura is invoked, creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you move as if in difficult terrain. Maintaining your black aura requires your concentration, as if you were concentrating on a spell. You can maintain concentration on your black aura for up to 1 minute. Whenever a black knight class feature allows for a saving throw, the save DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. You can use your black aura a number of times shown for your black knight level in the Auras column of the Black Knight table. You regain any expended uses when you complete a long rest. Darkvision Also at 1st level, the power of negative energy within you allows you to see through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, you add 60 feet to its range. Dark Restoration Starting at 2nd level, you innately draw energy from the darkness within you and use it to restore your health. You have an additional Hit Die you can use to heal yourself during a short rest, or to spend on additional black knight class features. You gain another extra Hit Die when you reach level 6, 10, 14, and 18. Each die is a d12. Fighting Style At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. * Defense: While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. * Dueling: When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon. * Great Weapon Fighting: When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage dice for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit. * Protection: When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield. Dark Path At 3rd level, you choose a path to follow from among the following options: the Silence Path, the Void Path, and the Witch Path. The path you choose grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level. Ability Score Increase When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the attack action on your turn. Precipitous Regeneration Starting at 7th level, you can use a bonus action to expend Hit Dice, healing as if you had just completed a short rest, including adding your Constitution modifier as normal. You can use as many Hit Dice as you wish with this bonus action. Clear Mind Beginning at 9th level, you can't be charmed or frightened while your black aura is active. If you are charmed or frightened when you enable your black aura, the effect is suspended for the duration of the black aura. Once you reach 14th level, you become immune to charm and frighten even when not using your black aura. Oppressive Gloom At 11th level, you've learned how to extend the reach of your black aura to grasp at your enemies, distracting and binding them. As a bonus action, choose a creature within 10 feet. That creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your black aura DC or be captured by grasping black tentacles, unable to move more than 10 feet away from you until the start of your next turn. Additionally, whenever an enemy enters or starts its turn within range and is maintaining concentration, it must succeed on a concentration check against your black aura DC or lose concentration. Twilight Armor By 13th level, you've learned how to increase your durability even further. You gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws, or if already proficient, you have Expertise instead. Obsidian Armor Starting at 17th level, your black aura grants resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Soul Transfer At 18th level, when you drop to 0 hit points but aren't killed outright, you can immediately draw energy from enemies within 30 feet. Each creature that you chose must make a Constitution saving throw against your black aura save DC, taking 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. You then heal an amount of hit points equal to all the damage dealt and gain one level of Exhaustion. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a long rest. Soul Transfer has no effect on undead or constructs. 'Dark Paths' Dark knights have three primary branches which represent different types of warriors. Though training can be difficult to come by, these teachings of the black knights still endure, and knights pass these techniques down to those they trust. Each path is a proud tradition with loyal adherents who distinguish themselves from ordinary dark knights because of the unique abilities they possess. Each path is considered to be a specific and important role in a military context, and fulfilling that role is necessary for each individual knight. Silence Path The path of silence emphasizes stealth and infiltration. A silence knight is dispatched to silence a threat to the order that they represent or are hired by. Silence knights specialize in techniques that allow them to utilize their dark energy for offense or to escape from danger. Black knights in general are durable adversaries, but a knight of silence knows when to avoid combat and how to end it quickly. Additional Proficiencies: At 3rd level, you gain one additional skill proficiency of your choice. Alternatively, you can choose one tool in which to be proficient. Black Cloud: Starting at 3rd level when you choose this path, you can expend a use of your black aura as a bonus action to delve into a shadowy darkness which envelops your physical form. While this form persists, you gain the following benefits: * You have resistance to all damage except for radiant damage. * Creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls made against you, and on Perception checks to notice you. * You have advantage on Stealth checks and ignore any Stealth penalties associated with wearing armor. * You can see within 40 feet as if in bright light and an additional 40 feet as if in dim light, even in magical darkness. You can concentrate on black cloud for up to 1 hour, as if you were concentrating on a spell. It ends early if you attack or cast a spell. Enmity: At 6th level, you learn to channel your negative energy into a devastating attack. When you deal damage with a melee weapon, you can expend one Hit Die to do an additional amount of damage equal to the die used, plus your Constitution modifier. This additional damage is necrotic damage. Shadow Walk: Starting at 10th level, you can use a bonus action to turn into an inky mist and teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. When you reappear, you are shrouded in darkness until the start of your next turn, imposing disadvantage on attacks made against you. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. Life Drain: Also at 10th level, you have the ability to draw the life force out of those you strike. Whenever you deal damage with Enmity, you recover half as many hit points. Soul Touch: By 15th level, your aura senses disturbances around you and allows you to see them accurately. You have truesight out to a range of 30 feet as long as one of your two auras is invoked. Spite: At 20th level, you have a more perfect control over the forces of darkness. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d12 necrotic damage. Void Path A dark knight of the void path sets an example on the battlefield by placing themselves front and center, drawing all attention to themselves. The role and purpose of a void knight is to shield allies and protect the weak. Void knights are bastions of defense and durability, and use those abilities to their advantage to ensure the safety of those they look after. Sacrifice: Beginning at 3rd level when you choose this path, you can use a bonus action to target a creature other than yourself within 30 feet. For the duration, that creature has resistance to all damage. Each time it takes damage, you take the same amount of damage. You can maintain Sacrifice on a number of creatures equal to 1/3 your black knight level, rounded down. Sacrifice ends automatically after 1 minute, if the target moves more than 60 feet away, or if you become incapacitated. You can also end any number of connections as a bonus action. Sacrifice fails if used on a creature who is already using or connected to Sacrifice. Greater Fighting Style: By 6th level, you've learned to improve your fighting style. You gain an additional benefit determined by which fighting style you chose at 2nd level. * Defense: Those protected by your Sacrifice gain a +1 bonus to AC. Targets do not need to be wearing armor to gain this benefit. * Dueling: As a reaction, you can add your proficiency bonus to your AC against one melee attack that would hit you. To do so, you must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon * Great Weapon Fighting: When you miss a creature with an attack you make with a melee weapon that are you wielding with two hands, you can use a bonus action to attack again. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit. * Protection: When a creature you can see attacks a creature affected by your Sacrifice, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield. Soul Shroud: Starting at 10th level, you can extend some of your dark energy to those you protect. Creatures affected by your Sacrifice have immunity to the frightened condition. They also have advantage on all concentration checks. Dark Embrace: At 15th level, you've learned how to tap into the innate darkness inside of yourself, granting you additional protections. You gain resistance to poison damage, and immunity to disease and the poisoned condition. While your black aura is invoked, you have complete immunity to poison damage. Ultimate Sacrifice: When you reach 20th level, you have complete control over your defensive abilities. You no longer have to make concentration checks for your black aura. Additionally, whenever a creature affected by your Sacrifice is subject to damage, you can choose to take the full damage they would take without the resistance from Sacrifice, and they take no damage. Witch Path The witch path for a black knight embodies the culmination of the dark arts, creating a warrior who can blend martial prowess with black magic. Witches use spells which grant them new ways to harm their foes, or lend themselves and their allies more protection. Witch magic is carefully drawn from the threads of dark magic that penetrate a black knight's soul, which requires a great deal of patience and practice. Witches learn a comparatively small number of spells compared to most other casters, but they back it up with an application of their physical might, saving their magic for special occasions. Witch Spellcasting: Spellcasting: When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting. Cantrips: You learn two cantrips of your choice from the list below. You learn an additional cantrip at 10th level. Preparing and Casting Spells: The Witch Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells. To cast one of your witch spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of witch spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the witch spell list. When you do so, choose a number of witch spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your witch level, rounded down. The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you are a 7th-level witch, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Intelligence of 14 (+2), your list of prepared spells can include five spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell armor of Agathys, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of witch spells requires time spent in meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your witch spells, since your spells are the result of intense study and preparation. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier Spellcasting Focus: You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your witch spells. Witch Aura: Starting at 3rd level when you select this path, you can concentrate on your black aura and a spell at the same time. When forced to do so, you still only roll once for concentration. Whenever your concentration fails, you can choose which of the two effects to end, and may continue concentrating on the other. Evil Eye: By 6th level, you can use a bonus action to glare at a creature you can see within 30 feet, forcing them to make a Wisdom save against your Witch spell save DC. On a failure, the creature must roll a d4 and subtract that number from any attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws (choose one) that it makes until the end of your next turn. As long as you can still see your target, you can use a bonus action on subsequent turns to extend the duration by one round. Silver Tongue: At 10th level, you understand all spoken languages and any creature that can understand language can understand what you say. You also have advantage on any Deception or Persuasion checks you make when verbally interacting with other creatures. Projection: Starting at 15th level, you can cast the spell project image once without consuming a spell slot. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Curse of Death: At 20th level, you have ultimate control over the forces of darkness. As an action you can expend three Hit Dice to touch a creature, forcing it to make a Wisdom save against your Witch spell save DC. On a failure, the creature drops to 0 hit points. On a success the creature takes 10d8 necrotic damage. Once you use this ability, you can't use it on that same target again until you complete a long rest. Witch Spells Witches have access to the following spells. Cantrips: acid splash, blade ward, chill touch, dancing lights, friends, frostbite (XGE), gust (XGE), infestation (XGE), light, lightning lure (SCAG), mending, poison spray, primal savagery (XGE), ray of frost, resistance, shocking grasp, spare the dying, thaumaturgy, thunderclap (XGE), toll the dead (XGE) 1st Level: armor of Agathys, arms of Hadar, bane, cause fear (XGE), charm person, comprehend languages, cure wounds, detect magic, disguise self, find familiar, fog cloud, hex, ice knife (XGE), identify, inflict wounds, ray of sickness, sleep, speak with animals, thunderwave, unseen servant, witch bolt 2nd Level: alter self, animal messenger, augury, beast sense, blindness/deafness, darkness, enlarge/reduce, gentle repose, levitate, magic mouth, Melf's acid arrow, misty step, Nystul's magic aura, protection from poison, ray of enfeeblement, see invisibility, Snilloc's snowball swarm (XGE), spider climb, warding wind (XGE), web 3rd Level: bestow curse, call lightning, clairvoyance, conjure animals, counterspell, dispel magic, fear, feign death, fly, hunger of Hadar, Leomund's tiny hut, life transference (XGE), lightning bolt, magic circle, phantom steed, remove curse, sending, sleet storm, slow, speak with dead, stinking cloud, thunder step (XGE), tongues, vampiric touch, water breathing, water walk 4th Level: arcane eye, blight, charm monster (XGE), conjure minor elementals, control water, dimension door, divination, Evard's black tentacles, giant insect, ice storm, polymorph, shadow of moil (XGE), storm sphere (XGE), vitriolic sphere (XGE), watery sphere (XGE)